Designer Potatoes

Designer Potatoes, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Have you noticed how many foods now come in designer "models". Coffee is labeled not just be the kind of roast, but by country of origin. Packaging describes the taste and aroma with words like fruity, spicy and nutty. Wine claims to have hints of citrus and after tastes of whatever. I have seen olive oil and chocolate with flavours attributed to them that have nothing to do with the ingredients. Now I have found designer potatoes. Some adjectives here include: creamy, sinfully smooth, deliciously different, refreshingly rare... And, of course, there is a designer price to go with these things. The more adjectives there are, the higher the cost.

Day 97: An Abundance

Day 97: An Abundance, originally uploaded by susanvg.

I was at the market today. There are stores that operate all winter. The outdoor stalls won't be open for another few weeks. Much as I would love to buy local produce, most of what we have is imported, especially this time of year. But what an abundance! With a weekend of holidays coming the stalls seemed stocked more than ever, with varieties of vegetables rarely seen, from miniature cauliflower of different hues, to exotic eggplants. There are tomatoes of every colour and potatoes of every shape. As usual, I carried home too much and will be spending a lot of time in the kitchen cooking. But what a pleasure to set a table with freshly made food.

And, of course, I bought flowers - fresh cut tulips from Holland. The man at the stall swore he had been there and back this morning. That is the other part I love about going to the market. The sales people are friendly, not just efficient. I often go back to the same stall for my vegetables. They know me know and there is always time taken for a friendly hello and a chat. A trip to the supermarket is a chore; a trip to the market is an adventure.